Press Release : IBJ announces the 10 winners of the 2017 JusticeMakers Competition
Geneva, Switzerland – 26 June 2017 – Today, on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, IBJ is thrilled to announce the selection of 10 Fellows of the 2017 JusticeMakers Competition for Prevention of Torture in Francophonie Africa. The 2017 JusticeMakers Competition is financed by Global Affairs Canada and promoted with the support of the CIB (Conférence Internationale des Barreaux) and Equitas – International Centre for Human Rights Education.
The JusticeMakers Competition supports local criminal justice actors in their fight to guarantee the legal rights of all individuals, namely the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial.
Each JusticeMakers Fellow will receive a grant of $5,000 to implement their project to strengthen justice in his or her country with the support of IBJ. The 10 winning applications for the 2017 JusticeMakers Competition come from 7 countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Mauritania and Togo. 5 of the projects are led by women. The projects of our Fellows are firmly rooted in their local community and are a source of innovation, motivation and reinforcement of the criminal justice system for their most vulnerable populations.
The JusticeMakers program is central to IBJ’s strategy to advance access to justice. By connecting, training and funding social innovators around the world, JusticeMakers empowers local lawyers and human rights defenders to advance justice in their communities.
IBJ extends its sincere thanks to all the applicants and to the esteemed judges: Philippe Currat, former General Secretary of the International Criminal Bar, Elie Elkaim, President of the Commission for Human Rights of the Bar Association of the Canton of Vaud, Nathalie Nansha, President of the Equitas Network in DR Congo, Ahmed Bouhoubeyni, Honorary President of the Conférence Internationale des Barreaux, Isidore Rufyikiri, former President of the Burundi Bar Association, and Karen Tse, Founder and CEO of International Bridges to Justice.
We look forward to seeing our Fellows in action and wish them great success.
The Fellows are:
Papa Amadou BA Mauritania
Ibrahima DIALLO Guinea
Thérèse DONU Togo
Noéllie Iyewa GAGLO Togo
Francis KONE Côte d’Ivoire
Dieudonné MUNGUWAMPAGA D.R. Congo
Gisèle NGUNGUA SANGUA D.R. Congo
Khadi OUEDRAOGO SY Burkina Faso
Charlotte TCHAKOUNTE Cameroon
Wminpiou Gontran WALE SOME Burkina Faso
About International Bridges to Justice (IBJ)
In recognition of the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) is dedicated to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary individuals in developing countries. Specifically, IBJ works to guarantee all individuals the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial. IBJ currently has programs and projects in over 40 countries in the world, including Burundi, Cambodia, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
Press contact:
Sonia Liang
Email: sliang@ibj.org, justicemakers@ibj.org
Telephone: +41 22 731 2441
